residue of past actions

It has been sometimes since we spoke last. This mail is in reply to a gentleman’s question after my recent visit to Dubai. The question is related to tamas, residue of past actions and binding. In fact, they all are in a way inter-connected.

Tamas or inertia are like the seasons. Seasons express themselves explicitly in time. Just like we say summer, winter, rainy season etc, our states or flavours are called Tamas, Rajas and Sattwa. These are our operating levels. A person operating on tamasic plane will express inertia, lethargy etc. and will tend to blame others for his predicament. He will often blame the situation for his inaction. They suffer due to delays and lack of conviction in action. A rajasic person may perform an action quickly and is definitely superior to the lethargic individual in state, but his action could also be based on emotion or ego. A sattwic person usually performs from intellect and will stay beyond all excesses. His operating level will be increasingly based on purity. A person based in the state beyond the waking, dream and deep sleep, the fourth state or turya state, will operate on the plane of perpetual silence which is beyond compulsive thoughts, words and action. In other words, his operating level will be that of dharma or pure duty which is beyond selfishness and expectation.

Every person has a variety of expressions. One fundamentally expresses his inherent constitution at all times. This could be tamasic, rajasic or sattwic. Each thought, word and action – if they are combined with emotion, should leave a residue within your system. We are entering and storing such data into our subconscious or our personal hard-drive at every moment of our waking state. Sometimes we store data consciously, but often unconsciously. The deeper or gross the residue, the deeper will be its impression in his character. This could also be an external impression such as a feature film that influenced, or a tragedy that he watched in the Television or even a strong opinion about a person or an incident elsewhere can stay as a silent residue within. Likewise, if traumas of any kind has happened and its residue stays hidden in the folds of his character, blockages in energy flow happens because of it. Clutter of residue leads to blockages. The blockages will produce mental and physical inconveniences, phobias, fears and sickness. So, as we accumulate residue, so much we should clean ourselves, too. Like I told earlier, forgiving and repenting does help. This is the basis of our Power of Purity meditation. Unhooking from the past events are very important. A bad experience of the past could sting us time and again. It should be replaced with higher awareness and higher purpose of life. Otherwise, the same event will come back again and again in life.

Residue of past lives is existing in every being. That is the basis of our unique constitution. This is more or less unchangeable unless, a conscious effort is taken to understand oneself and shed it from the root. Fears created out of this residue produce such reality in life, which re-confirms the inherent fear. It will bring situations and reasons to enjoy the state of fear. Love is the same. Hatred and enmity brings forth such realities. Sometimes people become possessive and cruel too, because of their inherent insecurities. These are the external expressions or in another words, gross manifestation of the inherent residue. When residue leaves, lightness happens, clarity and flexibility happens, finally, enlightenment happens. Those who lead a confused existence accumulate residue much more than the ones who have clarity in action. Those who are emotional by nature also accumulate much residue. Those who crave for sympathy or applause, those who constantly blame situation or other people for their seeming failures in carrying out responsibilities, those who constantly blame injustice in society without doing anything about it are filling themselves up with deep residue at each moment.

Where does the residue stay? Mostly in the lower region of our body. The lower part of the “shiv ling”. Shivling means our body minus legs, hands, neck and head. When energy moves through the body, vertically and horizontally, in alternate waves, the residue of thoughts, words and actions combined with emotions are dropped to the bottom. It gets accumulated or stuck at various locations of our system, of which the tangible gross is our body and intangible are the subtle meridians. It accumulates mostly around the root and the swadhishtana chakras and it in turn gets clogged over a period of time. This prevents the kundalini from moving anywhere. This is also why it is said that pushing Kundalini forcefully through manthras and practices could lead to lifetimes of agony. Removal of residue will automatically clear the path and will allow kundalini to raise to where it belongs or where it came from, effortlessly and without any artificial stimulus.

The clogging at the lower part of our system stays when conscious unhooking does not take place. Forgiveness, repentance, feeding the poor, sharing the wealth with the needy and under-privileged, spontaneous acts of kindness and every aspects of truth and compassion reduce the residue. This is why such acts of kindness are well recommended in most paths of the world. Bhakti Yoga and Karma Yoga are powerful tools that reduce the residue.

What happens when residue leaves through sadhana or by the grace of the Master? Usually, all the hidden fears, anxieties and traumas will surface first. Sleeplessness, confusion and many such emotions can surface. Only if a person is strong enough to handle unknown fears and hidden traumas can actually make use of this sadhana or practice. Some tend to suppress the residue back into themselves out of overwhelming fear and confusion. Some prefer to change the guru! 🙂 It takes an expert guide to take you through this time. This is quite a vulnerable time and the practitioner should be extremely objective, patient and kind.

When we embrace silence through practicing witness-hood, the same happens. The first that comes out from us are negative emotions such as fears and anxieties. We have to allow them to surface and go. We must sincerely let go. Many cannot. Some even cannot release their own illnesses. They hold on to everything and the whole exercise becomes futile. In some paths, there are practices such as talking nonsense to themselves, or shouting at the wall for minutes. This is to expel the hidden residue. But, understand that the nature also has the same power to hold. There are scientific proofs that if you scold or show anger to the water, it forms a different pattern within than when you speak words of love to it. Nature holds residue of events. This is why accidents happen almost at the same place always. Accident prone areas or death prone areas tell this story. Just like we always attract similar realities. We are indeed a part of the nature or nature is integrated into us.

Watch yourself, watch through emotions, use intellect more, try to bring up all the lower emotions through breath to the higher parts of the body. Remember yourself as a Shiv ling. Breathe from the back to the front and breathe from the front to the back, alternatively, in a gap of five minutes. This could bring forth the hidden residue from lower to higher and release it from the system. When this movement becomes fine and smooth, perfect distribution of energy takes place. Equanimity and balance happens in life. I could go on and on. But, the fundamental truth of accumulation and release always remains. What you earn should be spent. What stagnates, decays. And residue slows us down and prevents us from being fluid in life. It makes us stiff. The earth and water element of our system such as root and swadhishtana suffer the most. Instability happens if earth is not stable. Contamination happens, if water is unstable or stagnant. Do not worry too much about the fire, which is the stomach center. If the lower ones are contaminated, “black smoke” of unburnt residue would contaminate the air and space, the higher chakras and obscure the heavens which are Ajna and Sahasrara. You are the world. You are the universe. So, a conscious practice in cleansing yourself is the most important thing in everyday spiritual practice. Likewise, if the guide is not confident, do not experiment. Leave kundalini alone. Instead, concentrate on the removal of residue. This is important. Make a conscious choice. Understand yourself and the reasons of your actions. Are you after spiritual elevation or sensation? Any practice can give you some sensation. Only shedding or emptying will give you spiritual elevation. You are like a balloon tied to a stone. When the stone is removed, the balloon will float up in the air. When we are heavy and caged, limitations are experienced. Unlimitedness means freedom. This is the aim of true spirituality. Rituals of unconscious nature or running after sensations cannot deliver that.

Does Gurus take on residue of their disciples? It depend on the receptivity and surrender of the disciple. Yes. Some does. Not all do. Many do not even allow people to touch their feet because of this reason. True Gurus often take much blockage onto themselves. They relieve the devotee from pain by taking it on to their own body. Some even shed their body due to this. Remember, Shirdi Baba shed his body in lieu of the son of Baija maa. A true guru always protects, ignoring himself, unconditionally. Jesus only asked for faith from the people who needed his help. Babaji exists in multiple realms as a personification of unconditionality.

Hope the point is very clear. Bless you with wisdom

Love you

M

STAY WITH THE TRUTH

In the path of liberation, one has to stay with the truth or else, decay will happen.Decay of character leads to decay of conscience.

Dears,

I received a beautiful message today which I instantly felt inclined to share with you. One old saint conveyed this message to me through a friend who visited him. The message is

Q: “M, you know the truth and you are not afraid to tell it. This will make some people uncomfortable. Some ego will be hurt. Some may leave you. This is fine. This is their loss. But, tell the truth anyway because your path is that of purity. There cannot be any pretensions here.“

This sums up my existence in a way. Many a time have I experienced alienation because I chose to stay with the truth and articulate it without dilution. In the path of liberation, one has to stay with the truth or else, decay will happen. Decay of character leads to decay of conscience. There is no harm in performing a difficult task (difficult for the mind and ego) for the general good of the people or the world. If the intentions are pure, even if alienation happens, one should go ahead. If intentions are of selfish nature, decay must happen.

Truth is often bitter. In today’s world, we prefer to hide our head like ostriches in the sand called internet and pretend that we are fine in the virtual world. We post quotes of others and post pictures of ourselves and our families and indirectly tell the world, “I do not care about the world. Only me and my family exists” or ” I am also as knowledgeable as you will accept one to be. I am not a lesser being”. Clear signs of insecurity, self-centeredness, ignorance, tamas! We choose to hide our own personal experiences, personal truths and conform ourselves to the socially accepted relative truths and make ourselves and others believe in our pretensions. This hinders our progress. We hate to accept bitter truth and we tend to remove true friends who articulate truth from our “friends” list. When we cannot see reality, we blame others for our incapacity! We deny miracles of our existence because of our incapacity to accept them. We even deny God at times, because we cannot comprehend God.

When man becomes so secluded, the world which is like a mirror ignores him and leaves him alone. When calamities happen in his household due to stagnation and isolation, or being in the self-created comfort zone of the artificial world for too long, or because of losing in touch with reality or even because of acquired decay and tamas, one witnesses himself in the depth of despair and depression. One professional psychologist whom I met at the lounge in an airport told me “Business is good. Thanks to the internet. Disillusionment is very high. Youth has lost touch with reality and pretend that nothing exists beyond the virtual world. And when reality strikes hard and they cannot handle truth, they come to me.” This sums up today’s life and lifestyle.

When calamities happen in his household due to stagnation and isolation, or being in the self-created comfort zone of the artificial world for too long, or because of losing in touch with reality or even because of acquired decay and tamas, one witnesses himself in the depth of despair and depression.

There is no hope for salvation here. No salvation because that is the reality that they chose to experience. They never listened to the cry of the world outside themselves. They never even listened to the cry of their own kin, because they were so overwhelmingly engrossed in virtual realities and pretended lifestyles. If you tell them the truth, they will destroy you, they will spit venom.

They never do anything to expand their consciousness, to evolve, to touch the truth. They never do anything to embrace the world with selflessness, unconditional love. Even if they do anything in the outside world, that would be because of their inherent insecurity and as an attempt to safeguard themselves from rainy days. They never realize that they have lost their sunshine long ago. They hate truth. Instead, choose a shrunken world of expectations and pretensions. Life becomes perpetual agony. They become useless to the world.

I urge you to use this blessed life of yours to elevate yourself to the highest. Take care of your family, you must. But, also take care of the world the way you can.